Elizabeth Smylie
Country (sports) Australia
Born (1963-04-11) 11 April 1963
Perth, Australia[1]
Height170 cm (5 ft 7 in)[1]
Turned pro1982
Retired1997
PlaysRight-handed[1]
Prize moneyUS$ 1,615,247
Singles
Career record181–213 (45.9%)
Career titles3
Highest rankingNo. 20 (14 September 1987)
Grand Slam singles results
Australian OpenQF (1987)
French Open2R (1983)
Wimbledon4R (1984, 1985)
US Open2R (1986, 1987, 1989)
Doubles
Career record483–215 (69.2%)
Career titles36
Highest rankingNo. 5 (28 March 1988)
Grand Slam doubles results
Australian OpenF (1993)
French OpenSF (1984)
WimbledonW (1985)
US OpenF (1987)
Other doubles tournaments
Tour FinalsW (1990)
Grand Slam mixed doubles results
Australian OpenSF (1990, 1991)
French OpenSF (1993)
WimbledonW (1991)
US OpenW (1983, 1990)
Medal record
Olympic Games
Bronze medal – third place 1988 Seoul Doubles

Elizabeth Smylie (née Sayers, born 11 April 1963), sometimes known as Liz Smylie, is a retired Australian tennis player. During her career, she won four Grand Slam titles, one of them in women's doubles and three in mixed doubles. She also won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles on the tour.

Career

Smylie turned professional in 1982.[2] She won the women's doubles title at Wimbledon in 1985 with Kathy Jordan.[3] In mixed doubles, she teamed with John Fitzgerald to win the 1983 US Open and 1991 Wimbledon titles and with Todd Woodbridge to win the 1990 US Open. She won the Virginia Slims Championships with Jordan in 1990. Her best Grand Slam performance in singles came at the Australian Open in 1987, when she reached the quarterfinals. Her highest ever singles ranking was World No. 20 and her highest in doubles was World No. 5.

She played Federation Cup from 1984 to 1994, and won a bronze medal in women's doubles with Wendy Turnbull at the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Over her career, Smylie won three singles titles and 36 doubles titles. She won the Western Australian Sports Star of the Year award in 1985 and the Comeback Player of the Year award in 1990 and 1993.

Personal life

She is married to player-manager Peter Smylie and they have three children.[4] She was the long-time tournament director of the Australian Women's Hardcourts and also works as a sports television commentator. Her brother Mervyn Sayers played one first-class cricket game for Western Australia in 1979.

Her nephew Daniel Sayers works in accounting, plays lower league football and is generally regarded as a pretty good bloke.

Major finals

Grand Slam tournaments

Doubles: 5 (1 title, 4 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1985WimbledonGrassUnited States Kathy JordanUnited States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss1987WimbledonGrassUnited States Betsy NagelsenWest Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
7–5, 7–5
Loss1987US OpenHardUnited States Kathy JordanUnited States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–4, 6–2
Loss1990WimbledonGrassUnited States Kathy JordanCzechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–3, 6–4
Loss1993Australian OpenHardUnited States Pam ShriverUnited States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
6–4, 6–3

Mixed doubles: 8 (3 titles, 5 runner-ups)

Result Year Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1983US OpenHardAustralia John FitzgeraldUnited States Barbara Potter
United States Ferdi Taygan
3–6, 6–3, 6–4
Loss1984US OpenHardAustralia John FitzgeraldBulgaria Manuela Maleeva
United States Tom Gullikson
2–6, 7–5, 6–4
Loss1985WimbledonGrassAustralia John FitzgeraldUnited States Martina Navratilova
Australia Paul McNamee
7–5, 4–6, 6–2
Loss1985US OpenHardAustralia John FitzgeraldUnited States Martina Navratilova
Switzerland Heinz Günthardt
6–3, 6–4
Loss1988US OpenHardUnited States Patrick McEnroeCzechoslovakia Jana Novotná
United States Jim Pugh
7–5, 6–3
Loss1990WimbledonGrassAustralia John FitzgeraldUnited States Zina Garrison
United States Rick Leach
7–5, 6–2
Win1990US OpenHardAustralia Todd WoodbridgeSoviet Union Natasha Zvereva
United States Jim Pugh
6–4, 6–2
Win1991WimbledonGrassAustralia John FitzgeraldSoviet Union Natasha Zvereva
United States Jim Pugh
7–6(7–4), 6–2

Olympics

Doubles: 1 (bronze medal)

Result Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Bronze1988SeoulHardAustralia Wendy TurnbullTiedDNP

Smylie and Turnbull lost their semifinal match to Zina Garrison and Pam Shriver 6–7(5), 4–6. In 1988, there was no bronze medal play-off match, both beaten semifinal pairs received bronze medals.[5][6]

Year-end championships

Doubles: 1 (1 title)

Result Year Location Surface Partner Opponents Score
Win1990New YorkCarpet (i)United States Kathy JordanArgentina Mercedes Paz
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4

WTA career finals

Singles: 6 (3–3)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (0–0)
Tier I (0–0)
Tier II (0–0)
Tier III (0–0)
Tier IV (0–1)
Tier V (0–1)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (3–1)
Finals by surface
Hard (2–2)
Grass (0–1)
Clay (1–0)
Carpet (0–0)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Opponent Score
Win 1. Apr 1982 Sardinia Clay United States Dana Gilbert 6–3, 6–0
Win 2. Sep 1983 Kansas City Hard Australia Anne Minter 6–3, 6–1
Loss 1. Nov 1984 Brisbane Grass Czechoslovakia Helena Suková 4–6, 4–6
Win 3. Feb 1987 Oklahoma City Hard United States Lori McNeil 4–6, 6–3, 7–5
Loss 2. Apr 1989 Tokyo Hard Japan Kumiko Okamoto 4–6, 2–6
Loss 3. Apr 1990 Tokyo Hard Sweden Catarina Lindqvist 3–6, 2–6

Doubles: 69 (36–33)

Legend
Grand Slam tournaments (1–4)
WTA Championships (1–0)
Tier I (2–1)
Tier II (7–1)
Tier III (2–3)
Tier IV (3–3)
Tier V (3–2)
Virginia Slims, Avon, other (17–19)
Finals by surface
Hard (17–10)
Grass (5–12)
Clay (4–1)
Carpet (10–10)
Result W/L Date Tournament Surface Partner Opponents Score
Loss 1. Oct 1981 Kyoto Hard United States Kim Steinmetz Netherlands Nanette Schutte
Netherlands Marianne van der Torre
2–6, 4–6
Win 1. Feb 1983 Ridgewood Carpet (i) South Africa Beverly Mould South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
United States Susan Leo
7–6, 4–6, 7–5
Loss 2. Jun 1983 Birmingham Grass South Africa Beverly Mould United States Billie Jean King
United States Sharon Walsh
2–6, 4–6
Loss 3. Jul 1983 Newport Grass United States Barbara Jordan United States Barbara Potter
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 1–6
Win 2. Sep 1983 Kansas City Hard United States Sandy Collins Australia Chris O'Neil
Australia Brenda Remilton
7–5, 7–6
Loss 4. Jan 1984 Indianapolis Carpet (i) South Africa Beverly Mould Brazil Cláudia Monteiro
South Africa Yvonne Vermaak
7–6(9–7), 4–6, 5–7
Loss 5. Mar 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Barbara Jordan United States Ann Kiyomura
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 7–6(9–7), 3–6
Loss 6. Mar 1984 Dallas Carpet (i) United States Sandy Collins United States Leslie Allen
United States Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 2–6
Loss 7. Jun 1984 Birmingham Grass United States Barbara Jordan United States Leslie Allen
United States Anne White
6–7(1–7), 3–6
Win 3. Aug 1984 Montreal Hard United States Kathy Jordan West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
6–1, 6–2
Win 4. Sep 1984 Deerfield Beach Hard United States Martina Navratilova United States Barbara Potter
United States Sharon Walsh
2–6, 6–2, 6–3
Win 5. Oct 1984 Tampa Hard Canada Carling Bassett United States Mary-Lou Piatek
United States Wendy White
6–4, 6–3
Loss 8. Dec 1984 Tokyo Carpet (i) France Catherine Tanvier West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
4–6, 4–6
Win 6. Jan 1985 Key Biscayne Hard United States Kathy Jordan Soviet Union Svetlana Parkhomenko
Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko
6–4, 7–6(7–2)
Win 7. Jan 1985 Marco Island Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Camille Benjamin
United States Bonnie Gadusek
6–3, 6–3
Loss 9. Mar 1985 Princeton Carpet (i) Netherlands Marcella Mesker United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 2–6
Win 8. Apr 1985 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan United States Betsy Nagelsen
United States Anne White
4–6, 7–5, 6–2
Win 9. May 1985 Sydney Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver United States Barbara Potter
United States Sharon Walsh
7–5, 7–5
Win 10. May 1985 Melbourne Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver United Kingdom Anne Hobbs
United States Kathy Jordan
6–2, 5–7, 6–1
Loss 10. Jun 1985 Eastbourne Grass United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 4–6
Win 11. Jun 1985 Wimbledon Grass United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
5–7, 6–3, 6–4
Loss 11. Jul 1985 Newport Grass United States Pam Shriver United States Chris Evert
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 6–7(2–7)
Win 12. Aug 1985 Mahwah Hard United States Kathy Jordan West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
7–6(8–6), 6–3
Win 13. Sep 1985 Chicago Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan United States Elise Burgin
United States JoAnne Russell
6–2, 6–2
Loss 12. Dec 1985 Tokyo Carpet (i) Netherlands Marcella Mesker West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
0–6, 4–6
Win 14. Jan 1986 Key Biscayne Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Betsy Nagelsen
United States Barbara Potter
7–6(8–6), 2–6, 6–2
Win 15. Mar 1986 Princeton Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
6–3, 7–5
Loss 13. Mar 1986 Nashville Carpet /u( United States Kathy Jordan United States Barbara Potter
United States Pam Shriver
4–6, 3–6
Loss 14. Jun 1986 Birmingham Grass Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Elise Burgin
South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank
2–6, 4–6
Win 16. Aug 1986 Mahwah Hard United States Betsy Nagelsen West Germany Steffi Graf
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
7–6(7–4), 6–3
Loss 15. Dec 1986 Brisbane Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen Czechoslovakia Hana Mandlíková
Australia Wendy Turnbull
4–6, 3–6
Win 17. Jan 1987 Sydney Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen Australia Jenny Byrne
Australia Janine Thompson
6–7(5–7), 7–5, 6–1
Loss 16. Mar 1987 Piscataway Carpet (i) United States Betsy Nagelsen United States Gigi Fernández
United States Lori McNeil
1–6, 4–6
Win 18. May 1987 Geneva Clay United States Betsy Nagelsen Peru Laura Gildemeister
France Catherine Tanvier
4–6, 6–4, 6–3
Loss 17. Jun 1987 Eastbourne Grass South Africa Rosalyn Fairbank Soviet Union Svetlana Parkhomenko
Soviet Union Larisa Savchenko
6–7(6–8), 6–4, 5–7
Loss 18. Jun 1987 Wimbledon Grass United States Betsy Nagelsen West Germany Claudia Kohde-Kilsch
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
5–7, 5–7
Loss 19. Aug 1987 Mahwah Hard United Kingdom Anne Hobbs United States Gigi Fernández
United States Lori McNeil
3–6, 2–6
Loss 20. Aug 1987 US Open Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
7–5, 4–6, 2–6
Win 19. Jun 1988 Eastbourne Grass West Germany Eva Pfaff New Zealand Belinda Cordwell
South Africa Dinky Van Rensburg
6–3, 7–6(8–6)
Loss 21. Jan 1989 Sydney Hard Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Martina Navratilova
United States Pam Shriver
3–6, 3–6
Loss 22. Jan 1989 Auckland Hard Australia Janine Thompson United States Patty Fendick
Canada Jill Hetherington
4–6, 4–6
Win 20. Feb 1989 Wellington Hard Australia Janine Thompson Australia Tracey Morton
Austria Heidi Sprung
7–6(7–3), 6–1
Loss 23. Feb 1989 Oklahoma City Hard (i) United States Elise Burgin United States Lori McNeil
United States Betsy Nagelsen
w/o
Win 21. Apr 1989 Singapore Hard New Zealand Belinda Cordwell United States Ann Henricksson
United States Beth Herr
6–7(6–8), 6–2, 6–1
Win 22. Apr 1989 Tokyo Hard Canada Jill Hetherington United States Ann Henricksson
United States Beth Herr
6–1, 6–3
Win 23. May 1989 Rome Clay Australia Janine Thompson Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
Argentina Mercedes Paz
6–4, 6–3
Win 24. May 1989 Berlin Clay Australia Janine Thompson South Africa Lise Gregory
United States Gretchen Magers
5–7, 6–3, 6–2
Loss 24. Jul 1989 Newport Grass Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Gigi Fernández
United States Lori McNeil
3–6, 6–7(5–7), 5–7
Loss 25. Sep 1989 Tokyo Carpet Australia Wendy Turnbull United States Gigi Fernández
United States Robin White
2–6, 2–6
Win 25. Jan 1990 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Gigi Fernández Australia Jo-Anne Faull
Australia Rachel McQuillan
6–2, 6–2
Win 26. Mar 1990 San Antonio Hard United States Kathy Jordan United States Gigi Fernández
United States Robin White
7–5, 7–5
Win 27. Apr 1990 Tokyo Hard United States Kathy Jordan Australia Michelle Jaggard
United States Hu Na
6–0, 3–6, 6–1
Loss 26. May 1990 Strasbourg Clay United States Kathy Jordan Australia Nicole Provis
South Africa Elna Reinach
1–6, 4–6
Loss 27. Jun 1990 Wimbledon Grass United States Kathy Jordan Czechoslovakia Jana Novotná
Czechoslovakia Helena Suková
3–6, 4–6
Win 28. Nov 1990 VS Championships Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan Argentina Mercedes Paz
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 6–4
Win 29. Jan 1991 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Kathy Jordan United States Mary Joe Fernández
United States Robin White
4–6, 6–0, 6–3
Win 30. May 1991 Geneva Clay Australia Nicole Provis Switzerland Cathy Caverzasio
Switzerland Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
6–1, 6–2
Win 31. Jun 1991 Birmingham Grass Australia Nicole Provis United States Sandy Collins
South Africa Elna Reinach
6–3, 6–4
Win 32. Jan 1993 Sydney Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Lori McNeil
Australia Rennae Stubbs
7–6(7–4), 6–2
Loss 28. Jan 1993 Australian Open Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Gigi Fernández
Belarus Natasha Zvereva
4–6, 3–6
Loss 29. Jun 1993 Birmingham Grass United States Pam Shriver United States Lori McNeil
United States Martina Navratilova
3–6, 4–6
Win 33. Jul 1993 Stratton Mountain Hard Czech Republic Helena Suková Switzerland Manuela Maleeva-Fragnière
Argentina Mercedes Paz
6–1, 6–2
Loss 30. Aug 1993 San Diego Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Gigi Fernández
Czech Republic Helena Suková
4–6, 3–6
Win 34. Jan 1994 Tokyo Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver Netherlands Manon Bollegraf
United States Martina Navratilova
6–3, 3–6, 7–6(7–3)
Loss 31. Feb 1994 Osaka Carpet (i) United States Pam Shriver Latvia Larisa Neiland
Australia Rennae Stubbs
4–6, 7–6(7–2), 5–7
Win 35. Jul 1994 Stratton Mountain Hard United States Pam Shriver Spain Conchita Martínez
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
7–6(7–4), 2–6, 7–5
Loss 32. Aug 1994 Montreal Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Meredith McGrath
Spain Arantxa Sánchez Vicario
6–2, 2–6, 4–6
Loss 33. Aug 1994 Schenectady Hard United States Pam Shriver United States Meredith McGrath
Latvia Larisa Neiland
2–6, 2–6
Win 36. Jun 1996 Birmingham Grass United States Linda Wild United States Lori McNeil
France Nathalie Tauziat
6–3, 3–6, 6–1

Grand Slam performance timelines

Key
W  F  SF QF #R RR Q# DNQ A NH
(W) winner; (F) finalist; (SF) semifinalist; (QF) quarterfinalist; (#R) rounds 4, 3, 2, 1; (RR) round-robin stage; (Q#) qualification round; (DNQ) did not qualify; (A) absent; (NH) not held; (SR) strike rate (events won / competed); (W–L) win–loss record.

Singles

Tournament198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994Career SR
Australian Open 1R A 1R 2R 1R 2R NH QF 1R 1R 3R 3R A 1R 1R 0 / 12
French Open A A A 2R 1R A 1R 1R A 1R 1R 1R A 1R A 0 / 8
Wimbledon A 2R 1R 1R 4R 4R 3R 3R 1R 3R 1R 3R A 2R 1R 0 / 13
US Open A 1R A 1R 1R 1R 2R 2R A 2R 1R 1R A 1R A 0 / 10
SR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 43
Year-end ranking 96 225 115 73 36 43 114 27 154 66 53 115 336 119 194

Doubles

Tournament198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997Career SR
Australian Open QF 2R 1R 2R 1R 2R NH 1R SF QF 3R QF A F SF A 1R 1R 0 / 15
French Open A A 3R 2R SF A A QF A 1R 2R 2R A 2R 2R A 3R A 0 / 10
Wimbledon A A 1R 1R 2R W QF F QF 3R F 3R 1R SF QF A SF 1R 1 / 15
US Open A 1R 2R 3R 3R 2R QF F 1R 2R SF 2R 2R 3R 3R A 1R A 0 / 15
SR 0 / 1 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 4 0 / 2 1 / 55
Year-end ranking 13 7 8 8 20 12 10 14 54 9 13 NR 27 NR
  • NR = not ranked

Mixed doubles

Tournament198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997Career SR
Australian Open NH NH NH NH 2R QF QF SF SF A QF 2R A 1R 1R 0 / 9
French Open 2R QF A A 1R A A 3R A A SF 2R A A A 0 / 6
Wimbledon A SF F QF QF SF 2R F W 2R 3R QF A 3R A 1 / 12
US Open W F F SF 2R F 2R W 2R 1R 2R 1R A 1R A 2 / 13
SR 1 / 2 0 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 3 0 / 3 1 / 4 1 / 3 0 / 2 0 / 4 0 / 4 0 / 0 0 / 3 0 / 1 3 / 40

References

  1. 1 2 3 John Barrett, ed. (1984). World of Tennis 1984 : The Official Yearbook of the International Tennis Federation. London: Willow Books. p. 339. ISBN 0002181223.
  2. "Elizabeth (Sayers) Smylie". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  3. "Smylie doubles triumph". The Age. 8 July 1985. p. 27. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  4. Pearce, Linda (15 January 2006). "The two of us". The Age. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  5. "Shriver, Garrison gain doubles final". South Florida Sun Sentinel. 28 September 1988. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  6. Craig, Gabriel (1 October 1988). "Gold gives Mecir his biggest thrill". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
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